Excess Sitting Tied to Colon, Endometrial Cancer

More evidence that too much sitting a health risk even for regular exercisers.

People who spend the most time sitting have a significantly higher chance of getting colon and endometrial cancer than those who sit the least, even if they work out regularly, according to research published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

German researchers reviewed 43 studies involving almost 69,000 people to investigate the link between sedentary time and incidence of cancer. For nearly all types of cancer, they found no increased risk from spending more time sitting.

But for colon cancer, those who sat the most had a 24 percent increased risk than those who sat the least. For endometrial, or uterine, cancer, those who sat the most had a 32 percent increased risk compared to those who sat the least. Every two hours of additional sitting time were associated with a 10 percent and 8 percent increased risk of endometrial and colon cancer, respectively, even for people who spent some of their non-sitting time working out.

These findings add to the growing consensus that spending a lot of time sitting can be an independent health risk. Earlier studies have found excess sitting linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other chronic conditions.

In previous reports on the health risks of excess sitting, experts have said that short, frequent breaks from sitting, such as one minute a few times an hour, can undo some of the negative effects. Adjustable desks are another good option if you have a sedentary job, and have become so popular among runners that they're now advertised regularly in Runner's World.

The video below demonstrates some ways to be active without leaving your work station.